1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to product dispensing apparatus such as video tape dispensing machines and more specifically to an apparatus incorporating a unique customer card dispenser for use with the same and corresponding apparatus.
2. Related Art
Product dispensing machines are well known and include such vending machines as cigarette and candy machines. These machines are typically mechanical or electromechanical machines. Such machines accepted valid currency and provided change if necessary, before the customer made a selection. The selected product was typically shunted to a bin in the machine for removal by the customer or a door closing the compartment in which the selected product is stored is released so that the customer can reach within and remove the product. Such machines typically dispense products of small value because of the limited capability of the machine to accept large currency or provide adequate change. Furthermore, such apparatus did not provide for return of the product since the product was typically not reusable
There are also dispensing machines presently in use which accept a credit card or other substitute form of currency in order to dispense products or services. Such machines include long distance telephones, gasoline pumps, bank automatic teller machines, and other apparatus. At least in the case of the long distance telephone and the automatic teller machine, a key pad is used to enter one of a multitude of commands or data. A display on the apparatus communicates messages to the customer. In the case of automatic teller machines, a printer or other hard copy device issues a receipt acknowledging the transaction. Automatic teller machines also have an input slot for making deposits, after which a receipt is printed and issued. The request for making the deposit and the amount of the deposit is entered on a key pad. With these machines, access is usually made to a remote data base such as the bank or telephone accounting system. Credits or debits are applied either simultaneously with a transaction or in batch form.
With the above described machines, no provision is made for purchasing product having a large dollar value. Except with automatic teller machines, no means are provided for returning the same product to the machine. With automatic teller machines, the cash may be returned to the machine only after enclosing in an envelope for that purpose, but the cash was not dispensed in the envelope. Before the cash can be redispensed, the return envelope must be checked for the correct quantity of cash and the cash replaced in the bill output feeder for redispensing from the machine. The prior devices credit card, and requires that the machine go on line to access the data base in order to verify certain information, such as account balance, previous transactions in the last 24 hour period and amount of withdrawals in last 24 hour period.